The IV is plugged in and I've had my first fix

Regular readers will know that I am not much of a television watcher. Most of my viewing consists of the Fox News channel and C-Span on the weekends. Having been off work for a while now with some health problems I have watched more television than usual but the three major networks don't have a hook set in me just yet.

There is one show however that I have been following since it first aired seven years ago on the Fox Network and that is 24. For those of you not familiar with the show it centers around a federal counter terrorists unit called CTU. The lead character is one of their field agents named Jack Bauer played by Kiefer Sutherland.

I really enjoy reading novels of the "techno thriller" genre such as those by Tom Clancy and Vince Flynn. The protagonist in 24 reminds me very much of Jack Ryan in Clancy's novels only with a darker edge to him. Jack Ryan is the epitome of the straight shooter. Always does the right thing and by the book. If he does stray over the line into a grey area it usually involves bypassing the bureaucracy bending or breaking their rules. Jack Bauer on the other hand has all of these qualities but if he thinks innocent lives are at stake he will do whatever is required to protect them inside or outside the confines of the law. One season knowing that there was a weapon of mass destruction on American soil Bauer tied a man with knowledge of its location to a chair and wired him to wall socket until he got the information he needed. He is also willing to accept the consequence's of those actions whatever that might be. In the end Jack Bauer always saves the day sometimes at great personal sacrifice to not only himself but his family.

One of the things that fascinates me about this show is that out in the real post 9-11 world it has sparked a public debate as to how we should deal with some of these issues portrayed in the plot of the show. Author and former CBS news reporter Bernard Goldberg while taking questions at a speech he gave at the National Press Club asked the audience where the most honest and frank discussion was going on about how to deal with terrorists and several people in the room answered "On the television show 24". Mr. Goldberg agreed completely and commented that he felt that journalists were not doing their job by presenting both sides of this issue and opening a national dialog on the subject.

I think all of this is quite ironic considering the mass media and communications available in America today. That however, is a conversation for another time. I still consider 24 what it was intended to be entertainment. I do know how to differentiate the difference between a television show and the real world. I feel much the same about the movies. So if your tastes in reading cross paths with mine you might want to consider checking the show out. I know I will be watching.